How Desmond John Browning escaped hospital after being held in custody

A Logan man’s Mission Impossible-style escape from police custody and bizarre, lewd behaviour towards a police officer has landed him in court.

Desmond John Browning was sentenced in Beenleigh Magistrates Court for numerous charges

A Logan man who was held in custody in hospital escaped through the roof, one year after committing an offensive, lewd act towards a police officer, a court has heard.

Desmond John Browning, 37, pleaded guilty in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on March 13 to possession of a knife, going armed as to cause fear, escape from lawful custody and indecent exposure.

The court heard that on August 12, 2022 at a medical facility in Meadowbrook, Browning escaped from his room by hitting the roof with a metal rod from the toilet and climbing through it.

From there he made it into the general population area of the hospital and walked out.

Browning, from Marsden, was also charged with wilful damage for the damage he caused to the hospital building.

The court also heard that on July 21, 2021, Browning spat on the floor and threatened a police officer in a watchhouse.

“Are you going to f*****g charge me now?” said Browning towards the officer.

The cell had to be deep cleaned as a result.

Browning then pulled down his pants and exposed himself to a female police officer, while gyrating his hips around.

He then gave the middle finger to the security camera while continuing to taunt the officer.

Browning was charged for indecent exposure for this incident.

Browning was also sentenced for five counts of possession of a knife for incidents spanning from July 2021 to August 2022 and one count of going armed as to cause fear.

On one occasion Browning told Police his knife was for ‘cutting fruit’ and he was found in possession of a screwdriver as well.

In Kingston on August 5, he was charged for going armed as to cause fear.

Magistrate Pamela Dowse said possession of a knife was a serious offence and the defendant needed to abstain from drugs.

“He’s a recidivist offender and the concern I have is the knife offences,” she said.

“Methamphetamine has permanent damage on the brain and people need to realise that.”

Browning represented himself in court and said his offending was primarily due to drug use.

“My behaviour was caused by my drug use but I’ve nipped the drug use in the butt,” he said.

He was sentenced to 15 months in prison with immediate release after serving 457 days in pre-sentence custody.